IAA Munich and the future of ‘mobility’ shows

Enormous anticipation guided me as I entered the expansive Munchen Messe on Sept. 7, the inaugural media day and official kickoff for the first IAA - Germany's combination auto show and industry trade fair - to be held in picturesque Munich. The Bavarian city is a far better show venue than drab, industrial Frankfurt, which had hosted IAA since 1951.

The modern, airy facilities at the Messe provided more than ample floor space for exhibitors, meetings and panel discussions. Services clicked with cheery German efficiency. Blessedly, the ambient daily temperatures were in the 72°F/22°C range, with blue-sky sunshine. Frankfurt by comparison was classically hot; one year I attended, the Mercedes-Benz hall, packed with people and already steamy, generated a fog bank. And the Europeans still shun air conditioning.